Written Answers Wednesday 2 December 2009

Scottish Executive

Cancer

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to improve survival rates for people with pancreatic cancer.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to improve early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Nicola Sturgeon: Better Cancer Care: An Action Plan, which was published in October 2008, outlines the Scottish Government’s commitments to improving cancer care and outcomes for all those with a cancer diagnosis, including pancreatic cancer. The Scottish Cancer Taskforce has been established to oversee and co-ordinate all of the commitments outlined within  Better Cancer Care .

  Pancreatic cancer is a relatively rare cancer and we do know that survival rates are poor, however, Scotland is not significantly different to the rest of the UK in this respect. Between 1996 and 2006 the incidence rate has dropped by 17.5% in men and 9.9% in women, which is encouraging.

  Whilst no specific action is currently being taken to promote awareness of the signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer, the Scottish Government is aware that patient outcomes are likely to be better if the cancer is diagnosed early on. Awareness-raising will feature as an agenda item for the Scottish Cancer Taskforce at a future meeting.

  Pancreatic cancer is linked to known risk factors such as body fatness and smoking and the Scottish Government is already implementing a wide-ranging programme of action to encourage healthy lifestyle choices around these issues.

Cancer

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure the implementation of digital mammography screening across Scotland.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards use digital mammography screening.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when digital mammography screening will be available in each NHS board area.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Breast Screening Programme is in the early stages of planning for the introduction of digital mammography.

Cancer

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that all NHS boards will be ready to implement digital mammography screening in 2011.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Breast Screening Programme is in the early stages of planning for the introduction of digital mammography. The Scottish Government has not made a commitment to digital mammography being implemented in NHS boards in 2011.

Census

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the ethnic category, Arab, was not included in the draft 2008 census form.

Jim Mather: The proposed question about ethnicity for use in the next census and in other Scottish surveys, and published in July 2008, included for the first time a separate tick box for the Arab ethnic category.

Census

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the draft 2008 census form was drafted without consulting Arab community groups or representatives.

Jim Mather: The proposed question about ethnicity for use in the next census and in other Scottish surveys, and published in July 2008, was based on wide consultation over several years. Consultation with Arab representatives, and with users of census statistics, resulted in the inclusion of a specific "Arab" tick box for the first time in the history of the census. More recent discussion has led to an amended proposal, incorporated in the draft Census (Scotland) Order which was laid on 26 November, to label the tick box "Arab, Arab Scottish or Arab British".

Census

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what ethnic groups were consulted in the drafting of the draft 2008 census form.

Jim Mather: During the extended period of consultation which led up to the publication in July 2008 of the proposed question about ethnicity for use in the next census and in other Scottish surveys, the following groups were contacted:

  African’s Women’s Group Scotland (Aberdeen branch)

  Asylum Seeker/Refugee Network

  Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan

  Black Community Development Project

  Black Information Link

  Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure In Scotland

  Black HIV-AIDS Network

  British Sikh Federation

  Central Scotland Racial Equality Council

  Centre for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland

  Centre for Research into Socially Inclusive Services

  Council of British Pakistanis (Scotland)

  Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations in Scotland

  Edinburgh and Lothian Racial Equality Council

  Edinburgh Inter Faith Association

  Equal in Scotland

  Equal Opportunities Commission

  Equality Network

  Ethnic Enable

  Ethnic Minority Advocacy Service

  Ethnic Minority Enterprise Centre

  Ethnic Minorities Law Centre

  Fife Arabic Society

  Fife African and Caribbean Association

  Glasgow Anti-Racist Alliance

  Grampian Racial Equality Council

  Gypsy Traveller Network

  Gypsy Traveller Women in Scotland

  Gypsy Traveller Community Development Project

  Hindu Youth UK

  Indian Muslin Federation

  Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants

  Kurdish Cultural Association

  Muslim Welfare House

  Muslim Women’s Resource Centre

  National Development Agency for the Black Voluntary Sector

  National Resource Centre for Ethnic Minorities

  Pakistan Association

  Pakistan Society

  Saheliya

  Scottish Council of Jewish Communities

  Scottish Inter Faith Council

  Scottish Refugee Council

  South Asian Development Partnership

  STUC Black Workers’ Committee

  The Association of Nigerians in the Grampian Region

  The East African Network

  The Ligali Organisation

  The Scottish Gypsy Traveller Association

  The Scottish Inter Faith Council

  Traveller Education and Information Project

  UNISON Black Members Committee

  West of Scotland Racial Equality Council

  World Sikh Foundation (Sikh Cultural Society of Great Britain).

Census

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend category F of the draft 2011 census form to include a category, Arab and Other Ethnic Groups, and subcategories, Arab, Scottish Arab or British Arab.

Jim Mather: That approach has not been taken in the draft Census (Scotland) Order which was laid on 26 November, for two reasons. First, it would risk reducing the response from ethnic groups which have no tick box, because their eye would be caught by Arab in the section title and they might not notice the subsequent tick box for Other. Second, since the proposed section headings are the same throughout the UK, comparability with England and Wales would be lost, which is important to many users of census data.

Census

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses to the draft 2008 census form consultation expressed concerns about the ethnic categories listed.

Jim Mather: The proposed question about ethnicity for use in the next census and in other Scottish surveys was published in July 2008, following extensive consultation. It was not itself a consultative document.

Census

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses to the 2009 census rehearsal questionnaires indicated Arab under the Other ethnicity option.

Jim Mather: In the 2009 census rehearsal, there were 29 responses to the ethnic group question which indicated Arab under the Other ethnic group section. This was out of a total of 33,531 responses to the ethnic group question.

Deaf and Hearing Impaired People

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it will be able to gather accurate statistics on the number of deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people by means of the proposed long-term health conditions question in the 2011 Census that allows respondents to identify that they have deafness or partial hearing loss and blindness or partial sight loss.

Shona Robison: The aim of the proposed long-term health conditions question in the census is to gather statistics on the prevalence of certain broad types of condition in the population, rather than obtain exact numbers of those with very specific conditions. This means that health conditions have to be grouped into general categories for the response options in the question, such as deafness and partial hearing loss and blindness or partial sight loss. It will be possible to obtain accurate statistics on the number of deaf and hard of hearing as an overall category and also the number of people who responded to both the deafness and partial hearing loss and the blindness or partial sight loss categories.

  Work is ongoing to develop a harmonised question to collect detailed information on disability groups through social surveys. Space is not as restricted in social surveys as it is in the census, which may provide an opportunity to collect more detailed information, on specific categories, in certain surveys. The major social surveys carried out by the Scottish Government have large sample sizes which allow for the provision of accurate, reliable information and can be used to provide population estimates.

Drug Misuse

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average fine was for possessing (a) heroin, (b) cocaine, (c) ecstasy, (d) cannabis and (e) amphetamines in the Lothians region in each of the last 10 years, broken down by sheriff court.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Average (Mean) Fine (£) for Possession of Selected Drugs1, by Sheriff Court 1999-2000 to 2007-082

  

 
2001-022
2002-03
2003/04
2004-05


Sheriff Court/Drug
No of Fines
Mean
No of Fines
Mean
No of Fines
Mean
No of Fines
Mean


Edinburgh
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Cannabis 
3
150
8
116
16
225
33
130


Heroin 
0
-
6
221
16
269
44
181


Cocaine 
0
-
0
-
5
310
17
254


Amphetamines
0
-
1
100
3
183
7
140


Ecstasy 
1
150
3
333
12
213
20
194


Haddington 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Cannabis 
0
-
5
120
1
175
2
138


Heroin 
0
-
1
100
2
400
2
188


Cocaine 
0
-
0
-
0
-
2
175


Amphetamines
0
-
0
-
0
-
2
188


Ecstasy 
0
-
0
-
5
430
5
205


Linlithgow 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Cannabis 
1
100
2
100
4
125
10
123


Heroin 
0
-
0
-
4
281
3
317


Cocaine 
0
-
2
175
1
250
1
400


Amphetamines
0
-
1
300
0
-
0
-


Ecstasy 
0
-
0
-
4
256
6
171


Lothians 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Cannabis 
4
138
15
115
21
203
45
128


 Heroin 
0
-
7
204
22
283
49
189


 Cocaine 
0
-
2
175
6
300
20
253


Amphetamines
0
-
2
200
3
183
9
151


 Ecstasy 
1
150
3
333
21
273
31
191



  

Sheriff Court/Drug
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08


No of Fines
Mean
No of Fines
Mean
No of Fines
Mean


Edinburgh
 
 
 
 
 
 


Cannabis 
24
162
30
165
17
139


Heroin 
25
162
45
193
41
172


Cocaine 
17
284
31
249
41
190


Amphetamines
6
158
5
187
1
150


Ecstasy 
20
230
28
167
37
231


Haddington 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Cannabis 
1
40
3
142
4
206


Heroin 
4
175
3
195
3
200


Cocaine 
5
149
0
-
1
100


Amphetamines
3
183
3
267
0
0


Ecstasy 
1
100
1
500
1
140


Linlithgow 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Cannabis 
10
126
13
166
10
212


Heroin 
5
205
4
275
3
187


Cocaine 
5
340
1
150
7
254


Amphetamines
1
75
5
127
1
170


Ecstasy 
3
168
3
137
3
360


Lothians 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Cannabis 
35
148
46
164
31
171


 Heroin 
34
170
52
199
47
174


 Cocaine 
27
269
32
245
49
198


 Amphetamines
10
157
13
182
2
160


 Ecstasy 
24
217
32
174
41
238



  Average (Mean) Fine (£) for Possession of Selected Drugs1, by District Court, 1999-00 to 2007-082

  

District Court3/Drug
2001-022
2004-05
2007-08


No of fines
Mean
No of fines
Mean
No of fines
Mean


East Lothian
 
 
 
 
 
 


Cannabis 
0
-
4
109
0
-


Amphetamines
0
-
1
150
0
-


Edinburgh, City of 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Cannabis 
2
58
11
63
2
80


Heroin 
0
-
1
75
0
-


West Lothian 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Cannabis 
0
-
6
93
0
-


Lothians 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Cannabis 
2
58
21
80
2
80


Heroin 
0
-
1
75
0
-


Amphetamines
0
-
1
150
0
-



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Data on type of drug commenced in 2001-02 and in that year was recorded against 2 percent of possession of drug offences in the Lothians. It has since been recorded progressively more frequently; over the last four years, the type of drug is known in around 60 per cent of possession of drugs offences.

  3. Includes stipendiary magistrates in Glasgow, and justice of the peace.

Education

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the alcohol education programme to be started in primary schools will include the social norms approach to risk-taking behaviour.

Keith Brown: The purpose of all learning in health and wellbeing, including alcohol education, is to help children and young people to make informed decisions and to establish a pattern of health and wellbeing, which will be sustained into adult life. In order to achieve this effectively, teachers still need to explore issues such as social norms, peer pressure and the many other social influences which can affect the attitudes, values and behaviours of children and young people. Schools will identify the most effective teaching methods, including specialist alcohol programmes, to meet the needs of their children and young people. There are several alcohol programmes used across Scotland by primary and secondary schools.

Energy

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that all energy statistics collected at a UK level will also be collected and made available at a Scottish level.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has been liaising with the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) over the availability of regional energy statistics. Regional energy statistics are published by DECC within the quarterly Energy Trends publications; these regional statistics are limited in their detail when compared to UK-level energy statistics. However, the DECC regional energy statistics have been developed in recent years to provide estimates of fuel use at local authority level across the UK, and more developments are planned to improve the detail of regional energy statistics. This work will take time as systems will need to be amended and the results would need to be quality assured.

  Furthermore, the Scottish Government will publish a Scottish energy key facts publication in 2010.

Enterprise

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings of the Small Business Consultative Group took place in 2006.

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings of the Small Business Consultative Group took place in 2007.

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings of the Small Business Consultative Group took place in 2008.

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings of the Small Business Consultative Group have taken place in 2009.

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Small Business Consultative Group last met.

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how frequently the Small Business Consultative Group should meet.

Jim Mather: Details of meetings of the Small Business Consultative Group (SBCG) between 2006 and 2009 are listed in the following table.

  

Year
Number
Dates


2006
3
30 January; 22 May; 26 September


2007
2
16 January; 2 October


2008
1
12 May


2009
1
11 May



  On 6 January 2009, the business membership of the group proposed moving to annual meetings in future. The government accepted that proposal recognising that the National Economic Forum, the Business in Parliament conference and a range of other meetings and events also provide substantive opportunities to work together to optimise support for small businesses.

Enterprise

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Small Business Consultative Group will next meet.

Jim Mather: The next meeting of the Small Business Consultative Group is scheduled to take place in 2010.

Enterprise

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in light of the recommendations in the report, Research into Job Losses in Small and Micro Businesses , published by the Federation of Small Businesses Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that public sector agencies give a greater focus to delivering early intervention to small and micro-businesses.

Jim Mather: While recognising the limitations of a report based on 12 companies’ experience of the recession, the government welcomes the findings in broad terms as they confirm that improvement work already in hand is targeting the needs of small businesses in Scotland. This includes the extensive provision of additional advice and support offered by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Business Gateway to businesses of all sizes during the economic downturn.

  The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) are key stakeholders in the development of the Business Gateway service delivered by local authorities. We will continue to work with them, the local authorities, COSLA and other business representatives to ensure that the service continues to develop to support Scotland’s business community in building a strong and sustainable economic future.

  The Federation of Small Businesses and other partners are also working with government to enhance the operation of the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative which provides support to individuals facing redundancy. That development process will - on 1 December – deliver a new recording system, providing for the first time comprehensive information on PACE interventions across Scotland.

Enterprise

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the business support services available to small and micro-businesses.

Jim Mather: An extensive range of support and advice services are available to Scottish businesses of all sizes, from a wide range of public and private sector organisations including: Scottish Enterprise; Highlands and Islands Enterprise; the Business Gateway; local authorities; the third sector; financial institutions; Skills Development Scotland, and other specialist sectoral advisory bodies.

  The most widely used service for small and micro-business is the Business Gateway. Local authorities are now responsible for local delivery of the Business Gateway. The recently established Business Gateway Scotland Board will take forward its ongoing development and consider proposals for any review of the service as appropriate.

Enterprise

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional support it will provide to small and micro-businesses to prevent job losses and redundancies.

Jim Mather: Generic business support for small and micro-businesses is provided through Business Gateway. A range of specialised support services also exists. For example, in redundancy situations, the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative provides support to individuals facing redundancy. The aim of PACE is to minimise the time people affected by redundancy are out of work. In light of the current economic climate, the Scottish Government set up the PACE Partnership in June of this year to bring together all agencies with an interest in PACE to oversee a continuous improvement programme to enhance the operation of PACE. An element of the work of this programme is considering issues in relation to support being provided through a range of agencies to individuals at an earlier stage.

Finance

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27654 by John Swinney on 14 October 2009, whether it made representations after 22 September 2009 to the (a) European Commission or (b) UK Government regarding the EC probe into competition in British banking services; whether these submissions are in writing, and, if so, whether they will be published.

John Swinney: The European Commission has not opened a formal investigation into Royal Bank of Scotland or Lloyds Banking Group, but instead was involved in commercially sensitive discussions concerning the banks’ plans for restructuring as required by the European Commission’s Rescue and Restructuring guidelines, as applied under Article 87(2) (b) of the EC Treaty.

  On 3 November 2009, when the banks announced their divestment plans, I wrote to the EC Commissioner for Competition, Neelie Kroes and the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  Copies of these letters are available in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. numbers 49807 and 49808).

Finance

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth has expressed in writing to the (a) European Commissioner for Competition Policy and (b) UK Government on the break-up of the Scottish banks, as reported in the The Scotsman on 4 November 2009.

John Swinney: Copies of my letters to the European Commissioner for Competition and the Chancellor of the Exchequer are available in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. numbers 49807 and 49808).

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when North Isles Marine Ltd, of Yell in Shetland, will be informed of the outcome of its appeal against the rejection of its application to the European Fisheries Fund.

Richard Lochhead: Decisions in respect of the current round of applications under the European Fisheries Fund were announced on 25 November 2009. The appeal by North Isles Marine Ltd was considered as part of this round and the applicants have been informed of the award of £255,000 in grant support.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools offer annual health and fitness checks, as promised in the 2007 SNP manifesto.

Keith Brown: The numbers of schools offering annual health and fitness checks is not held centrally. This would be a matter for education authorities themselves.

  The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s children and young people. The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 requires that all Scottish schools are health promoting. A school is health promoting if it provides activities, and an environment and facilities which promote the physical, social, mental and emotional health and wellbeing of pupils.

Health

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patient discharges in each of the last three years were delayed for a period of more than six weeks due to complications with community care arrangements, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: Information on patients awaiting discharge due to community care reasons (including assessment and arrangements) and who have been delayed for over six weeks in each census from October 2006 to October 2009 is shown in the following table.

  Number of NHS delayed discharges delayed for over six weeks for community care related reasons by NHS board from the October 2006 census to the October 2009 census.

  

 
2006
2007
2008
2009


Oct
Jan
Apr
Jul
Oct
Jan
Apr
Jul
Oct
Jan
Apr
Jul
Oct


Scotland
537
495
185
338
335
282
-
38
74
63
-
41
80


Ayrshire and Arran
49
43
14
28
33
14
-
-
12
11
-
10
-


Borders
5
8
8
7
4
9
-
-
4
1
-
1
1


Dumfries and Galloway
3
2
-
1
1
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Fife
25
21
12
30
51
45
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Forth Valley
50
43
26
19
11
15
-
5
9
-
-
-
1


Grampian
80
89
32
41
46
60
-
1
-
-
-
1
3


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
90
79
51
70
53
54
-
9
15
14
-
19
39


Highland
42
36
9
20
9
18
-
1
4
7
-
3
18


Lanarkshire
31
12
4
31
24
19
-
-
-
-
-
-
7


Lothian
98
104
12
35
52
27
-
12
22
23
-
6
8


Orkney
2
3
3
5
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Shetland
-
2
2
6
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Tayside
59
45
9
41
45
16
-
10
8
6
-
-
2


Western Isles
3
8
3
4
5
4
-
-
-
1
-
1
1



  Source: ISD Scotland, Delayed Discharges Census.

Livestock

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the sheep electronic identification scheme will be subject to the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition standards.

Richard Lochhead: No. Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition relates to the maintenance of land. However, electronic identification of sheep does form part of one of the statutory management requirements of cross compliance covering identification and traceability of sheep and goats.

Livestock

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances farmers would be penalised for breaching the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition standards in the context of the sheep electronic identification scheme and how that penalty would be applied.

Richard Lochhead: Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition relates to the maintenance of land. However, electronic identification (EID) of sheep does form part of one of the statutory management requirements of cross compliance covering identification and traceability of sheep and goats.

  Where it is found at inspection that a keeper has not complied with the statutory management requirements, a breach will be recorded and this shall result in a percentage reduction in payments due to the business.

  The inspection process and penalties cannot be confirmed until final decisions are made on the implementation of the requirements following the consultation on sheep EID which finished on 2 November 2009. The inspection process shall be designed to take into account practical issues and be as efficient and effective as possible.

Mental Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the 28-day hospital readmission rate following discharge from a mental health specialty was for patients aged (a) under 18, (b) 19 to 44, (c) 45 to 64 and (d) 65 and over in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The number of discharges from mental health units with subsequent readmission within 28 days, and rates of readmission as a percentage of all discharges, for patients under 18, aged 18-44, aged 45-64 and aged 65 and over, by NHS board in each of the last five years are detailed in the following table.

  The relevant mental health HEAT target for 2009-10 (T4) is to reduce the number of readmissions (within one year) for those that have had a hospital admission of over seven days by 10%, by the end of December 2009. The NHS in Scotland is currently exceeding this target according to the latest available figures, with an overall decrease of 26%.

  For individual boards, the latest available information shows that, with the exception of NHS Orkney and NHS Tayside, boards are meeting or exceeding this target. In respect of NHS Orkney, the 14% increase shown in the latest available figures reflects the small number of total readmissions within the board.

  This target will be tracked through to December 2010.

  Year Ending 31 March

  

NHS Board of Residence
Age Group
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009P


Number
% of all discharges
Number
% of all discharges
Number
% of all discharges
Number
% of all discharges
Number
% of all discharges


Ayrshire and Arran
Under 18
0
0.0
*
11.1
*
11.8
*
18.2
*
15.8


18 to 44
82
12.1
94
14.3
74
13.2
76
13.2
75
13.4


45 to 64
40
11.0
41
12.1
24
7.5
33
10.0
31
9.0


65 and over
23
7.4
20
6.8
21
6.9
23
8.0
19
7.1


Borders
Under 18
*
20.0
*
20.0
*
16.7
*
16.7
0
0.0


18 to 44
33
16.7
19
12.2
25
15.0
31
17.4
21
11.9


45 to 64
21
17.1
17
18.7
17
15.3
13
13.3
22
21.8


65 and over
19
12.7
19
13.7
11
8.8
14
9.8
12
8.2


Dumfries and Galloway
Under 18
*
14.3
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0


18 to 44
41
18.9
26
12.1
28
13.7
25
13.2
21
11.2


45 to 64
10
8.0
20
14.2
12
8.8
10
8.2
11
9.0


65 and over
10
7.5
6
4.9
*
2.3
7
5.6
5
4.2


Fife
Under 18
*
10.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
*
8.3
0
0.0


18 to 44
81
14.8
74
13.2
63
12.1
61
12.2
55
11.4


45 to 64
21
8.1
28
9.7
23
8.1
41
13.1
35
12.7


65 and over
26
8.4
22
6.3
16
6.5
25
9.7
15
6.7


Forth Valley
Under 18
*
9.1
0
0.0
0
0.0
*
9.1
0
0.0


18 to 44
56
13.0
52
13.7
46
12.9
60
17.4
52
13.9


45 to 64
22
11.2
18
8.8
8
4.3
29
15.8
18
9.8


65 and over
14
5.7
9
4.1
11
4.8
7
3.8
6
2.8


Grampian
Under 18
*
10.5
*
11.8
*
12.5
*
8.3
0
0.0


18 to 44
83
14.5
66
12.0
62
12.2
70
15.0
53
10.7


45 to 64
48
12.4
35
10.0
31
8.7
33
9.8
39
11.2


65 and over
30
6.5
33
7.0
24
5.1
32
7.2
21
4.9


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Under 18
7
14.9
8
16.0
7
13.2
*
4.1
8
12.9


18 to 44
292
12.6
266
12.1
240
11.8
249
12.4
231
11.2


45 to 64
117
10.3
126
10.8
135
11.9
118
10.4
126
10.2


65 and over
82
7.8
71
6.8
52
5.3
55
6.1
50
5.0


Highland
Under 18
0
0.0
5
35.7
*
10.5
*
7.1
*
10.0


18 to 44
70
12.5
62
12.4
54
12.3
49
11.1
44
10.4


45 to 64
30
9.3
24
7.6
26
9.3
23
7.4
24
7.5


65 and over
17
5.9
21
8.2
10
3.7
22
7.4
17
6.0


Lanarkshire
Under 18
*
5.0
*
4.0
*
14.3
*
3.2
*
9.1


18 to 44
136
14.3
145
16.9
119
15.2
112
14.4
95
11.4


45 to 64
62
12.7
54
12.1
56
12.1
52
12.7
41
8.8


65 and over
44
8.9
40
8.8
37
7.8
34
8.1
26
5.8


Lothian
Under 18
*
2.2
5
11.9
5
13.9
5
12.8
*
5.4


18 to 44
172
13.6
147
11.9
139
12.7
148
13.2
112
10.4


45 to 64
78
11.5
70
10.5
67
9.9
74
11.4
52
7.8


65 and over
114
13.1
87
10.3
89
12.0
53
7.7
43
6.5


Orkney
Under 18
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0


18 to 44
*
25.0
0
0.0
*
10.0
*
12.5
*
28.6


45 to 64
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
*
20.0


65 and over
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0


Shetland
Under 18
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0


18 to 44
*
8.3
0
0.0
*
16.7
*
5.6
0
0.0


45 to 64
0
0.0
0
0.0
*
11.1
0
0.0
*
25.0


65 and over
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0


Tayside
Under 18
*
8.3
*
9.1
*
5.6
*
7.7
*
7.1


18 to 44
101
15.2
118
18.6
94
15.7
87
14.3
76
11.6


45 to 64
42
12.0
51
12.9
38
10.2
49
13.8
41
10.4


65 and over
16
3.9
20
5.1
21
5.1
24
5.9
24
5.2


Western Isles
Under 18
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0


18 to 44
7
25.0
*
8.6
0
0.0
*
3.8
*
3.7


45 to 64
*
11.8
6
20.0
*
10.5
*
6.7
0
0.0


65 and over
7
13.0
10
18.5
*
9.8
5
12.5
*
10.3



  PProvisional.

  Note: *Indicates values that have been suppressed due to the potential risk of disclosure.

NHS Finance

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of total health spending was expended on (a) wages, (b) salaries and (c) pensions in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The proportion of total health spending on wages and salaries in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board is shown in the following table.

  

Health Board
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Argyll and Clyde5
2.88%
2.86%
2.71%
2.84%
2.77%
2.69%
n/a
n/a
n/a


Ayrshire and Arran
2.39%
2.39%
2.34%
2.41%
2.33%
2.35%
2.44%
2.39%
2.41%


Borders
0.76%
0.75%
0.71%
0.76%
0.71%
0.76%
0.76%
0.79%
0.76%


Dumfries and Galloway
1.07%
1.06%
0.99%
1.01%
1.00%
1.00%
1.02%
1.02%
1.04%


Fife
2.00%
1.98%
1.94%
2.00%
1.96%
2.03%
2.06%
2.06%
2.10%


Forth Valley
1.80%
1.75%
1.67%
1.81%
1.66%
1.66%
1.65%
1.65%
1.66%


Grampian
3.66%
3.64%
3.50%
3.64%
3.54%
3.60%
3.69%
3.56%
3.63%


Greater Glasgow5
7.95%
7.91%
7.76%
8.31%
7.98%
8.00%
10.80%
10.58%
10.34%


Highland5
1.56%
1.58%
1.54%
1.63%
1.61%
1.69%
2.11%
2.01%
2.11%


Lanarkshire
3.11%
3.09%
2.98%
3.12%
3.01%
3.02%
2.97%
2.90%
2.91%


Lothian
5.81%
5.81%
5.62%
5.90%
5.59%
5.65%
5.65%
5.53%
5.56%


Orkney
0.13%
0.13%
0.13%
0.13%
0.14%
0.14%
0.16%
0.16%
0.16%


Shetland
0.14%
0.14%
0.14%
0.14%
0.15%
0.16%
0.16%
0.15%
0.16%


Tayside
3.58%
3.46%
3.36%
3.54%
3.39%
3.33%
3.28%
3.25%
3.20%


Western Isles
0.25%
0.24%
0.25%
0.25%
0.24%
0.24%
0.25%
0.24%
0.25%


Health Scotland
0.03%
0.03%
0.03%
0.04%
0.03%
0.04%
0.04%
0.04%
0.06%


Common Services Agency
0.85%
0.82%
0.83%
0.85%
0.89%
0.95%
0.94%
0.83%
0.85%


Scottish Ambulance Service
0.97%
0.97%
0.94%
0.98%
1.04%
1.06%
1.04%
1.06%
1.08%


State Hospital
0.22%
0.22%
0.21%
0.21%
0.21%
0.20%
0.21%
0.22%
0.21%


Mental Welfare Commission
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%


NHS 241
n/a
0.02%
0.13%
0.23%
0.26%
0.30%
0.32%
0.29%
0.29%


National Waiting Times Centre2
n/a
n/a
0.09%
0.16%
0.16%
0.18%
0.20%
0.21%
0.40%


NHS Quality Improvement Scotland3
n/a
n/a
0.03%
0.04%
0.05%
0.06%
0.06%
0.06%
0.07%


NHS Education4
n/a
n/a
0.10%
0.12%
0.12%
0.14%
0.17%
0.16%
0.17%


Clinical Standards Board3
0.01%
0.01%
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a


Health Technology Board3
0.00%
0.01%
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a


Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education4
0.06%
0.07%
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a



  The proportion of total health spending on pensions in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board is shown in the following table:

  

Health Board
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Argyll and Clyde5
0.13%
0.09%
0.15%
0.12%
0.30%
0.29%
n/a
n/a
n/a


Ayrshire and Arran
0.13%
0.10%
0.11%
0.12%
0.26%
0.26%
0.28%
0.28%
0.29%


Borders
0.04%
0.03%
0.03%
0.05%
0.09%
0.09%
0.09%
0.09%
0.10%


Dumfries and Galloway
0.07%
0.04%
0.05%
0.05%
0.11%
0.12%
0.12%
0.12%
0.12%


Fife
0.11%
0.07%
0.09%
0.09%
0.23%
0.23%
0.25%
0.24%
0.25%


Forth Valley
0.09%
0.09%
0.08%
0.06%
0.18%
0.18%
0.19%
0.19%
0.20%


Grampian
0.20%
0.13%
0.19%
0.18%
0.40%
0.39%
0.40%
0.41%
0.43%


Greater Glasgow5
0.41%
0.27%
0.34%
0.37%
0.88%
0.87%
1.14%
1.13%
1.17%


Highland5
0.07%
0.06%
0.08%
0.08%
0.19%
0.19%
0.25%
0.29%
0.26%


Lanarkshire
0.13%
0.11%
0.14%
0.14%
0.34%
0.34%
0.35%
0.34%
0.34%


Lothian
0.31%
0.21%
0.26%
0.26%
0.64%
0.63%
0.66%
0.65%
0.66%


Orkney
0.00%
0.00%
0.01%
0.01%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%


Shetland
0.01%
0.00%
0.01%
0.01%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%


Tayside
0.16%
0.12%
0.16%
0.16%
0.39%
0.38%
0.40%
0.40%
0.41%


Western Isles
0.01%
0.01%
0.01%
0.01%
0.03%
0.03%
0.03%
0.03%
0.03%


Health Scotland
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.01%
0.01%
0.01%
0.01%


Common Services Agency
0.05%
0.05%
0.05%
0.05%
0.11%
0.11%
0.12%
0.12%
0.12%


Scottish Ambulance Service
0.05%
0.03%
0.04%
0.05%
0.11%
0.11%
0.15%
0.13%
0.13%


State Hospital
0.01%
0.01%
0.01%
0.01%
0.02%
0.02%
0.02%
0.03%
0.03%


Mental Welfare Commission
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%


NHS 241
n/a
0.00%
0.01%
0.23%
0.26%
0.30%
0.32%
0.29%
0.29%


National Waiting Times Centre2
n/a
n/a
0.01%
0.16%
0.16%
0.18%
0.20%
0.21%
0.40%


NHS Quality Improvement Scotland3
n/a
n/a
0.00%
0.04%
0.05%
0.06%
0.06%
0.06%
0.07%


NHS Education4
n/a
n/a
0.01%
0.12%
0.12%
0.14%
0.17%
0.16%
0.17%


Clinical Standards Board3
0.00%
0.00%
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a


Health Technology Board3
0.00%
0.00%
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a


Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education4
0.00%
0.00%
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a



  Notes:

  1. NHS24 was created in 2002-03.

  2. The National Waiting Times Centre was created in 2003-04.

  3. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland was created in 2003-04 and took over the activities of the Clinical Standards Board and Health Technology Board for Scotland.

  4. NHS Education was created in 2003-04 and took over the activities of the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education.

  5. Argyll and Clyde health board was dissolved after 2005-06 and its activities transferred to Greater Glasgow and Highland health boards

  6. The rate of employer’s pension contribution rose from 6% to 14% in 2004-05, which was funded on a UK level.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the cost of the contract for the new Southern General Hospital is capped.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of cost overrun will be tolerated in the contract for the building of the new Southern General Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: The contract structure selected by the board for the procurement of the new hospitals is the New Engineering Contract (NEC) and the option selected within this suite of documents is option C. This option is a target cost contract with an activity schedule where the outturn financial risks are shared between the client and the contractor in an agreed proportion (pain/gain) as set out in the tender submission. The contract was amended to incorporate a pre-determined cap, referred to as the maximum price.

  In order to protect the affordability position of the board, and to provide a strong incentive for cost control throughout the contract period, bidders were also required to provide a maximum price, above which NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde would not be required to make any further payment. In summary, once this maximum price has been exceeded the overspend risk is borne 100% by the contractor.

NHS Hospitals

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider providing a national confidential hotline to allow concerns about hygiene in hospitals to be raised anonymously and made available to infection control teams.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate, on their website, provides named contacts, telephone numbers and a generic e-mail address for members of the public to raise their concerns about hygiene and infection control measures within NHS hospitals. Anonymity will be preserved should the caller wish this to be the case.

NHS Hospitals

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the findings of the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate announced inspection report on Stirling Royal Infirmary of 29 September 2009, whether it will take steps to meet the target (a) of one clinical sink for every four beds, (b) that taps should be temperature-controlled and sensor-operated and (c) that swan neck taps should no longer be procured.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Forth Valley has carried out a risk assessment, assisted by the board’s infection control team, in the old wards at Stirling Royal Infirmary and as a result has increased the number of wash-hand basins in each ward to a level felt to be practicable in the area whilst the facilities are occupied.

  It is the board’s intention, however, to undertake much more extensive alterations to the infrastructure and systems when the buildings are being refurbished to function as community hospitals. It is not practicable to do so at the current time due to the levels of occupancy.

  Current guidance from Health Facilities Scotland on sanitary assemblies for ward areas specifies that wash-hand basins should have wall-mounted single lever-action or sensor taps, with fittings actuated by a proximity sensor the preferred alternative. The guidance also specifies that swan-neck taps should be avoided and therefore when such fittings are damaged and due for repair, they should be completely replaced by an appropriate, alternative component as specified in the guidance.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives the NHS employs and employed in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09.

Nicola Sturgeon: The following table details the information requested.

  

NHS Scotland
Headcount as at 30 September 2007
Whole-time Equivalent as at 30 September 2007
Headcount as at 30 September 2008
Whole-time Equivalent as at 30 September 2008


Midwives1
3,148
2,531.9
3,321
2,670.1



  Source: National Services Scotland Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland

  Note: For 2008 data on the Agenda for Change bands 5 to 9 are shown as band 1 to 4 include midwifery support.

  Information as at 30 September 2009 is due to be published on 15 December 2009 and will be available from the National Services Scotland Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland website link http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/796.html.

NHS Staff

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHS Scotland partnership process with staff was followed when agreement with the General Practitioners Committee was reached regarding delivery of the influenza A (H1N1) vaccine.

Nicola Sturgeon: The agreement on the delivery of the first phase of the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination programme was negotiated on a UK basis as part of the General Medical Services contract with NHS Employers LEADING on behalf of the four UK Health Departments.

Regeneration

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bids to the second tranche of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund were substantially similar or identical to bids rejected in the first tranche and what these bids were.

Alex Neil: The detailed information requested is currently being collated. I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and a copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 49810).

Regeneration

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bids were made to each tranche of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, broken down by local authority area.

Alex Neil: One hundred and thirty-two applications were made the first round of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund and 136 to the second. The breakdown of bids by local authority area is:

  

Local Authority Area
Bids


Tranche One
Tranche Two


Aberdeen City 
2
2


Aberdeenshire 
17
19


Angus 
3
6


Argyll and Bute
7
4


Clackmannanshire
1
0


Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles)
1
1


Dumfries and Galloway 
7
3


Dundee City 
1
1


East Ayrshire 
4
4


East Dunbartonshire 
1
1


East Lothian 
3
1


East Renfrewshire
2
1


Edinburgh City 
4
4


Falkirk 
1
1


Fife 
13
14


Glasgow City
6
7


Highland 
5
5


Inverclyde 
2
2


Midlothian 
1
4


Moray
1
3


North Ayrshire 
7
5


North Lanarkshire 
1
5


Orkney Islands 
0
1


Perth and Kinross 
4
4


Renfrewshire 
3
3


Scottish Borders 
7
7


Shetland Island 
1
1


South Ayrshire 
3
5


South Lanarkshire 
13
13


Stirling Council
4
1


West Dunbartonshire
5
4


West Lothian
2
2


Multiple
0
2


Total
132
136

Sectarianism

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Community Safety will meet (a) the Orange Order and (b) Cairde na h’Eireann to discuss how further progress can be made in implementing the actions agreed in the 2006 statement on tackling abusive behaviour at marches and parades.

Fergus Ewing: I intend to meet all of the partners who signed the 2006 statement on tackling abusive behaviour at marches and parades, including the Orange Lodge and Cairde na h’Eireann, to consider with them how the statement can be taken forward at a local level.

Sectarianism

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Orange Order and Cairde na h’Eireann will be invited to participate in the work on marches and parades announced by the Minister for Community Safety in his statement to the Parliament on the Sectarianism Strategy on Wednesday, 18 November 2009.

Fergus Ewing: Yes.

Unemployment

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that some rural local authorities have pockets of high unemployment.

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that some rural local authorities have pockets of high unemployment that are not reflected in the overall unemployment rate for that area.

John Swinney: The official measure of unemployment based on the ILO (International Labour Organisation) definition is not reliable below local authority level. However, an alternative measure of unemployment is the claimant count. This gives the number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits and as it is based on administrative records it is available for small areas. The latest claimant count data is for October 2009.

  Tables 1 to 7 provide the latest claimant count levels and rates (as a proportion of the resident working-age population) by intermediate geography for each of the rural local authorities. This allows the identification of pockets of high unemployment at small area level that may not be evident when comparing unemployment levels at local authority level. The claimant count rate for Scotland and the local authority average is provided in each table to allow for comparisons.

  Table 1: Claimant Count Levels and Rates for Intermediate Geographies Within Aberdeenshire, October 2009

  

 
Latest Claimant Count
Change Over Year
Working Age Claimant Count Rate


October 2009
Level
%


Scotland
129,510
46,090
55%
4.0%


Aberdeenshire
2,098
904
76%
1.4%


Intermediate Geography
 
 
 
 


S02000088 Peterhead Harbour
191
55
40%
5.3%


S02000104 Fraserburgh Harbour and Broadsea
102
47
85%
4.9%


S02000099 Banff
64
23
56%
2.9%


S02000100 Macduff
64
18
39%
2.8%


S02000102 Fraserburgh Lochpots
45
26
137%
2.8%


S02000083 Huntly
64
16
33%
2.6%


S02000086 Peterhead Bay
38
10
36%
2.6%


S02000103 Fraserburgh Central-Academy
30
10
50%
2.1%


S02000097 Portsoy, Fordyce and Cornhill
37
17
85%
2.0%


S02000095 Aberchirder and Whitehills
47
14
42%
2.0%


S02000090 Mintlaw
29
10
53%
2.0%


S02000082 Cruden
56
22
65%
1.9%


S02000071 Inverurie South
51
29
132%
1.8%


S02000050 Mearns North and Inverbervie
55
34
162%
1.8%


S02000091 Turriff
42
22
110%
1.7%


S02000067 Kemnay
38
12
46%
1.7%


S02000048 Mearns South and Benholm
40
16
67%
1.7%


S02000092 Longside and Rattray
63
33
110%
1.6%


S02000098 Rosehearty and Strathbeg
59
9
18%
1.6%


S02000096 Gardenstown and King Edward
30
13
76%
1.6%


S02000081 Fyvie-Rothie
33
21
175%
1.5%


S02000051 Stonehaven South
42
15
56%
1.5%


S02000085 Peterhead Links
45
18
67%
1.5%


S02000094 New Pitsligo
28
7
33%
1.5%


S02000049 Mearns and Laurencekirk
30
18
150%
1.4%


S02000087 Auchterless and Monquhitter
27
11
69%
1.4%


S02000080 Clashindarroch
36
25
227%
1.3%


S02000065 Cromar and Kildrummy
32
20
167%
1.3%


S02000056 East Cairngorms
23
12
109%
1.3%


S02000072 Inverurie North
44
31
238%
1.3%


S02000076 Ellon East
27
11
69%
1.2%


S02000075 Ythsie
42
20
91%
1.2%


S02000059 Banchory-Devenick and Findon
28
8
40%
1.2%


S02000093 Deer and Mormond
30
11
58%
1.1%


S02000101 Fraserburgh Smiddyhill
22
6
38%
1.0%


S02000077 Ellon West
27
9
50%
1.0%


S02000084 Auchnagatt
18
7
64%
1.0%


S02000070 Newmachar and Fintray
25
14
127%
0.9%


S02000052 Stonehaven North
33
17
106%
0.9%


S02000060 Crathes and Torphins
23
18
360%
0.9%


S02000068 Howe of Alford
27
17
170%
0.8%


S02000061 Dunecht, Durris and Drumoak
25
14
127%
0.8%


S02000055 Newtonhill
16
7
78%
0.8%


S02000073 Durno-Chapel of Garioch
21
14
200%
0.8%


S02000066 Kintore and Blackburn
39
27
225%
0.8%


S02000053 Fetteresso, Netherley and Catter
16
3
23%
0.7%


S02000054 Aboyne and South Deeside
19
14
280%
0.7%


S02000079 Insch, Oyne and Ythanwells
16
15
967%
0.7%


S02000089 Peterhead Ugieside
14
-3
-18%
0.6%


S02000063 Westhill Central
18
6
50%
0.6%


S02000062 Garlogie and Elrick
15
11
275%
0.6%


S02000074 Barrahill
17
4
31%
0.6%


S02000069 Balmedie and Potterton
19
8
73%
0.6%


S02000078 Ythanside
24
12
100%
0.6%


S02000058 Portlethen
18
7
64%
0.6%


S02000057 Banchory
22
10
83%
0.6%


S02000064 Westhill North and South
11
3
38%
0.4%



  Source: Office for National Statistics.

  Table 2: Claimant Count Levels and Rates for Intermediate Geographies Within Argyll and Bute, October 2009

  

 
Latest Claimant Count
Change Over Year
Working Age Claimant Count Rate


October 2009
Level
%


Scotland
129,510
46,090
55%
4.0%


Argyll and Bute
1,586
384
32%
3.0%


Intermediate Geography
 
 
 
 


S02000135 Dunoon
172
35
26%
6.4%


S02000133 Rothesay Town
130
39
43%
5.6%


S02000130 Campbeltown
129
16
14%
5.4%


S02000138 Helensburgh East
113
30
36%
4.9%


S02000139 Helensburgh Centre
88
40
83%
4.8%


S02000136 Hunter’s Quay
125
16
15%
4.4%


S02000132 Bute
59
25
74%
4.1%


S02000142 Greater Lochgilphead
64
22
52%
3.0%


S02000148 Oban South
94
22
31%
2.8%


S02000149 Oban North
42
-11
-21%
2.4%


S02000141 Helensburgh West and Rhu
58
14
32%
2.3%


S02000144 Lomond Shore
43
19
79%
2.3%


S02000131 Kintyre Trail
72
10
16%
2.2%


S02000143 Garelochhead
97
39
67%
2.1%


S02000146 Cowal North
44
10
29%
2.0%


S02000134 Whiskey Isles
55
18
49%
2.0%


S02000145 Mid Argyll
39
8
26%
1.9%


S02000137 Cowal South
26
5
24%
1.8%


S02000140 Helensburgh North
44
17
63%
1.7%


S02000150 Benderloch Trail
43
12
39%
1.6%


S02000147 Loch Awe
30
5
20%
1.6%


S02000151 Mull, Iona, Coll and Tiree
24
-4
-14%
1.0%



  Source: Office for National Statistics.

  Table 3: Claimant Count Levels and Rates for Intermediate Geographies Within Eilean Siar, October 2009

  

 
Latest Claimant Count
Change Over Year
Working Age Claimant Count Rate


October 2009
Level
%


Scotland
129,510
46,090
55%
4.0%


Eilean Siar
548
218
66%
3.6%


Intermediate Geography
 
 
 
 


S02000434 South Lewis
69
38
123%
5.2%


S02000440 Braes Villages
134
29
28%
4.6%


S02000437 Stornoway West
87
33
61%
4.5%


S02000433 Harris
42
6
17%
4.0%


S02000439 Northwest Lewis
84
38
83%
3.8%


S02000436 Stornoway East
59
31
111%
3.5%


S02000435 Point
56
25
81%
3.4%


S02000432 Benbecula and North Ui
56
21
60%
3.3%


S02000431 Barra and South Uist
48
11
30%
2.8%


S02000438 Broadbay
47
15
47%
2.4%



  Source: Office for National Statistics.

  Table 4: Claimant Count Levels and Rates for Intermediate Geographies Within Highland, October 2009

  

 
Latest Claimant Count
Change Over Year
Working Age Claimant Count Rate


October 2009
Level
%


Scotland
129,510
46,090
55%
4.0%


Highland
3,632
1,232
51%
2.7%


Intermediate Geography
 
 
 
 


S02000744 Inverness Merkinch
159
55
53%
8.4%


S02000765 Wick South
142
64
82%
6.6%


S02000755 Alness
169
72
74%
5.1%


S02000739 Inverness Muirtown
119
26
28%
4.8%


S02000732 Inverness Drummond
88
33
60%
4.6%


S02000742 Inverness Central, Raigmore and Longman
124
40
48%
4.4%


S02000769 Thurso East
67
30
81%
4.3%


S02000766 Wick North
79
27
52%
4.3%


S02000735 Inverness Ballifeary and Dalneigh
107
43
67%
4.2%


S02000756 Invergordon
104
26
33%
4.2%


S02000758 Seaboard
108
51
89%
4.2%


S02000763 Caithness South
66
25
61%
3.9%


S02000759 Tain
80
43
116%
3.9%


S02000762 Sutherland East
87
25
40%
3.8%


S02000750 Nairn East
75
13
21%
3.4%


S02000752 Dingwall
104
44
73%
3.4%


S02000770 Thurso West
88
10
13%
3.2%


S02000725 Lochlash
49
-1
-2%
3.1%


S02000717 Fort William South
100
49
96%
3.0%


S02000733 Inverness Hilton
49
19
63%
2.9%


S02000731 Inverness Kinmylies and South West
59
32
119%
2.8%


S02000761 Sutherland South
90
35
64%
2.7%


S02000736 Inverness Crown and Haugh
66
31
89%
2.6%


S02000745 Skye North East
53
11
26%
2.6%


S02000757 Ross and Cromarty East
49
23
88%
2.5%


S02000747 Conon and Muir of Ord
93
40
75%
2.4%


S02000749 Nairn West
62
19
44%
2.4%


S02000768 Caithness North East
52
8
18%
2.4%


S02000753 Black Isle North
50
29
138%
2.3%


S02000723 Badenoch and Strathspey Central
64
11
21%
2.3%


S02000764 Sutherland North and West
42
3
8%
2.1%


S02000767 Caithness North West
60
17
40%
2.1%


S02000727 Inverness East Rural
63
19
43%
2.1%


S02000720 Lochaber East and North
58
21
57%
2.0%


S02000751 Ross and Cromarty South West
34
3
10%
2.0%


S02000724 Skye South
38
6
19%
1.9%


S02000740 Inverness Smithton
41
11
37%
1.8%


S02000743 Inverness Culloden and Balloch
50
17
52%
1.8%


S02000734 Inverness Drakies
29
18
164%
1.8%


S02000718 Lochaber West
47
22
88%
1.7%


S02000722 Loch Ness
47
10
27%
1.7%


S02000728 Inverness West Rural
60
25
71%
1.7%


S02000754 Ross and Cromarty Central
36
4
13%
1.7%


S02000746 Skye North West
33
-18
-35%
1.7%


S02000719 Fort William North
41
9
28%
1.7%


S02000721 Badenoch and Strathspey South
34
13
62%
1.6%


S02000748 Black Isle South
56
25
81%
1.6%


S02000738 Nairn Rural
34
17
100%
1.5%


S02000726 Badenoch and Strathspey North
38
6
19%
1.5%


S02000729 Inverness Inshes and Slackbuie
57
22
63%
1.5%


S02000760 Ross and Cromarty North West
27
2
8%
1.4%


S02000741 Inverness Scorguie
28
11
65%
1.4%


S02000737 Inverness Westhill
43
22
105%
1.4%


S02000730 Inverness Lochardil and Holm Mains
34
14
70%
1.3%



  Source: Office for National Statistics.

  Table 5: Claimant Count Levels and Rates for Intermediate Geographies Within Orkney Islands, October 2009

  

 
Latest Claimant Count
Change Over Year
Working Age Claimant Count Rate


October 2009
Level
%


Scotland
129,510
46,090
55%
4.0%


Orkney Islands
122
15
14%
1.0%


Intermediate Geography
 
 
 
 


S02000944 West Kirkwall
35
10
40%
1.7%


S02000945 East Kirkwall
19
4
27%
1.2%


S02000946 Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness
18
7
64%
1.0%


S02000947 Isles
23
-10
-30%
1.0%


S02000948 West Mainland
18
5
38%
0.8%


S02000943 East Mainland
9
-1
-10%
0.5%



  Source: Office for National Statistics.

  Table 6: Claimant Count Levels and Rates for Intermediate Geographies Within Scottish Borders, October 2009

  

 
Latest Claimant Count
Change Over Year
Working Age Claimant Count Rate


October 2009
Level
%


Scotland
129,510
46,090
55%
4.0%


Scottish Borders
1,763
685
64%
2.7%


Intermediate Geography
 
 
 
 


S02001036 Langlee
111
31
39%
6.6%


S02001023 Hawick Central
102
46
82%
4.6%


S02001024 Hawick North
86
36
72%
4.6%


S02001049 Eyemouth
83
42
102%
4.5%


S02001026 Burnfoot and area
92
24
35%
4.3%


S02001038 Galashiels North
99
43
77%
4.3%


S02001022 Hawick West End
71
34
92%
4.0%


S02001037 Galashiels West
72
27
60%
3.9%


S02001034 Kelso North
68
29
74%
3.5%


S02001030 Selkirk
102
26
34%
3.1%


S02001043 Coldstream and area
45
29
181%
2.9%


S02001035 Galashiels South
54
18
50%
2.9%


S02001027 Jedburgh
64
19
42%
2.8%


S02001032 Kelso South
44
15
52%
2.8%


S02001042 Peebles North
66
37
128%
2.5%


S02001029 Cheviot East
53
33
165%
2.3%


S02001048 Berwickshire East
68
27
66%
2.1%


S02001031 St Boswells and Newtown area
54
18
50%
2.0%


S02001028 Ettrick, Yarrow and Yair
44
27
159%
2.0%


S02001041 Peebles South
39
23
144%
1.9%


S02001033 Melrose and Tweedbank area
54
13
32%
1.9%


S02001046 Duns
28
4
17%
1.9%


S02001039 Innerleithen and Walkerburn area
52
8
18%
1.8%


S02001025 Cheviot West
28
10
56%
1.6%


S02001044 Earlston, Lauder and Stow area
61
27
79%
1.4%


S02001040 West Linton and Broughton area
45
22
96%
1.4%


S02001045 Berwickshire West
29
10
53%
1.4%


S02001047 Berwickshire Central
25
6
32%
1.2%


S02001021 Newcastleton and Teviot area
24
1
4%
1.0%



  Source: Office for National Statistics.

  Table 7: Claimant Count Levels and Rates for Intermediate Geographies Within Shetlands Islands, October 2009

  

 
 Latest Claimant Count
 Change Over Year
 Working Age Claimant Count Rate


 October 2009
 Level
 %


 Scotland
 129,510
 46,090
 55%
 4.0%


 Shetland Islands
 190
 48
 34%
 1.4%


Intermediate Geography
 
 
 
 


 S02001052 Lerwick North
 49
 14
 40%
 2.2%


 S02001051 Lerwick South
 44
 16
 57%
 1.8%


 S02001055 North Mainland
 28
 7
 33%
 1.7%


 S02001056 North and East Isles
 24
 14
 140%
 1.4%


 S02001050 Shetland South
 21
 6
 40%
 1.1%


 S02001054 East and West Mainland
 12
 -2
 -14%
 0.8%


 S02001053 Central Shetland
 12
 -7
 -37%
 0.6%



  Source: Office for National Statistics.

Veterinary Medicine

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last reviewed the use of antibiotics on farm animals.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has not reviewed the use of antibiotics on farm animals.

  The marketing, use and administration of veterinary medicines is a reserved matter.

  The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), an agency of Defra, advises the secretary of state on authorisation, manufacture, classification, distribution and administration of veterinary medicines.